A Feline Fiasco
by TouchFire03
Summary: CU. As luck would have it, Kagome has been dealt an awful hand. And the solution to the problem will come from the most unlikeliest of sources... UPDATED: 'Perplexing Pantomime'. In which charades is the name of the game.
1. The Cat's Meow

**Disclaimer**: All ownership belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I am not to blame for any actions of the characters in this drabble. In this case, it is the fault of a girl with the most impeccable timing.

**Author's Note** - This is my new S/K story. It is a product due to listening to too much of _The Cat Return's_ OST. It will be written as a serial using prompts for drabbles and/or one-shots. I'm mostly using this to try to find a better way of writing and not feel so stressed with huge

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The Cat's Meow

Peering from under wide leaves, she frowned at the dark clouds amassing in the sky. The distant rumble of thunder made her delve deeper into the thicket. How she hated storms. the crash of lightning and the roar of rolling clouds made her cower like an injured animal. Black ears lying flat against her skull, she curled into a tiny ball of ebony fur. She buried her nose into her pelt, silently wishing for a long tail to loop over her paws.

_Why is it always me?_ she thought. A whimpered _mew_ slipped past brand new fangs. Kagome was in a bind. Trapped in a form not of her own making, she could only wonder if the others were looking for her. _Not that they'd have much luck. They're looking for the human me..._ And human she was no longer. She assumed it was a product of the latest battle with Naraku. So busy dealing with lower-class youkai, she hadn't noticed that she had gotten separated from the rest of her group. And in the shadows of the night, her human eyes were blind to the black feline stalking her from behind. Only when the sharp bite of claws tearing into her back did she finally take notice of all her surroundings. By then, her vision was fogged by tall grass and mud.

Next, nothing...

She woke hours later, the sun just cresting the treetops. The grass seemed to high, and the mud, so very thick. It had taken her nearly the remainder of the day to reach solid ground. And by then, she was all too keen on what she had become. A tiny, black bobtail stared back at her from a reflection in a shallow pool. Whatever had occurred, transforming into this useless ball of fluff wasn't doing her any favors.

The thunder drew nearer, and Kagome burrowed herself further into the underbrush. And as she stared out, a pair of earth-brown eyes and a child-like smile stared back.

Kagome stilled.

"Meow?"

"Jaken-sama! Look. I found a kitty!" cried the little girl. The child knelt down, smudging her clothes with dirt and grass stains. Holding out her hand, the girl twiddled her fingers just close enough for Kagome to bat at them with her tiny paws.

"Bah! Silly human! Don't mess with that filthy animal. Sesshoumaru-sama does not approve of felines," the imp squawked.

_'Jaken-sama'? 'Sesshoumaru-sama'? It couldn't be!_ A bubble of hope swelled in her chest. Carefully, Kagome crawled out from within her hiding place, casting a curious look at the pair. That surly imp was waving around that weird staff, trying to usher the girl back into a nearby cave. That checkered kimono never looked so cute.

And while the storm on the horizon had been an ill omen, the smiling face in front of her seemed like a blessing. _Play this right and maybe... just maybe... I can fix this. _

Sitting up on her hind paws, she raised one paw to her chest and mewed...

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**End Note** - This drabble was originally posted on ebony_silks on LJ on December 18th, 2009. The theme was **Omen**. 500 words.


	2. Kitten Kaboodle

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha. It is copyrighted to Rumiko Takahashi. I merely torture the characters with horrible plot bunnies. In this case, a disgruntled imp is an unhappy imp.

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**Kitten Kaboodle**

It was a stroke of fortune.

Belly full of fresh fish and clean water, things had changed for the better. Her pink tongue licked the remnants of dinner from her whiskers. Wriggling up the little girl's shoulders, an instinctive purr thrummed in her chest. Kagome knew how lucky she was. It would be unkind to look a gift horse in the mouth. Or, in her case, a little girl in a checkered kimono who trailed behind one of the most powerful youkai the miko had ever seen. Yep, karma was definitely out to get her. Good or bad, she wouldn't worry about that right now. At the moment, she had an adorable child to thank for saving her. Kagome burrowed her head beneath Rin's chin, all too pleased to be in slightly familiar company.

Better than being outside...

Beyond the mouth of the cave, the storm raged. Angry growls of thunder echoed across the sky. Claws of lightning speared the earth, illuminating the night in hues of blue and gold. The kitten hissed, swiping her baby talons at the elements.

A pair of gentle hands carefully lifted her from her perch.

"Here we go!" chirped Rin, setting the feline near the fire. "Jaken-sama made a nice fire for kitty and Rin. Didn't you, Jaken-sama?"

The imp harrumphed. "Sesshoumaru-sama will _not_ be pleased."

"You worry too much, Jaken-sama. Sesshoumaru-sama won't mind."

"Feh!!"

_Lord Sesshoumaru._ There was a topic she hadn't thought about yet. Images of green mist and corrosive saliva jolted her memory. The kitten gulped fearfully. Watching him in battle was a sight to behold. A small shiver chased down her spine, making her fur stand on end. She knew how much he tolerated the Panther Tribe -_none, whatsoever_. There was a reason why dogs and cats didn't mesh well. It did little to quell the sudden unease she felt. Kagome could only hope that he might be able to shed some light on her current predicament._Or at least point me in the direction of my friends,_ she sulked.

Padding closer to the fire, she curled into a ball of black fluff. Sun-kissed arms looped around her until she was buried against Rin's neck. A lullaby of hushed snoring entered her triangular ears. Heavy lids veiled her tired eyes. Surrounded by warm arms, Kagome knew she was in good hands.

Or, that's what she thought...

"Jaken."

_Uh oh._

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**End Note**: This drabble was originally posted for dokuga_contest's Weekly Perfection #66 **Mesh** theme on December 18th, 2009. 400 words.


	3. Unannounced

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Inuyasha. It is copyrighted to Rumiko Takahashi. I merely torture them with my horrible plot bunnies. In this case, something lost is unknowingly found.

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**Unannounced**

Turning on his heel, the cold lord left the mismatched group in a flourish of fine silk. Inwardly, he scoffed. It was not his duty to keep tabs on their hapless miko. That was his half-mongrel sibling's problem. To have lost her was no fault but their own. Besides, she was prone to disaster anyways.

Even so, the girl was essential for Naraku's destruction...

And as he landed outside his pack's chosen shelter, his youki burning the remnants of the deluge from his clothes, an unfamiliar presence reached his senses. The severing stink irritated his nose. Lip twitching unpleasantly, the frigid curse echoed in his mind: _Cat._

Huddled beneath his ward's arm, the uninvited bundle of fur hid.

Now, the question was, how to get rid o f it...

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**End Note:** This drabble was originally posted for dokuga_contest's #67 **Sever** theme with an original word length of 100. This is the additional entry with 128 words.


	4. Of Cats and Conniptions

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha. The characters are copyrighted to Rumiko Takahashi. I merely like to torture them with horrible plot bunnies. In this case, a little guts is necessary.

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**Of Cats and Conniptions**

He materialized just as a bolt of blue light split the sky.

_Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap!_ Her mind cried. Could _nothing_ go her way? For once - _just once_ - she wished that Fate was on her side. And yet, standing at the mouth of the cavern in a blaze of pristine glory, she was definitely the butt of some bored god's jokes. There was no _way_ she was prepared to deal with the daiyoukai. At least, not yet. Kagome hissed, slithering deeper into Rin's embrace. Maybe with luck, he wouldn't see her. With her stark black fur, she kept close to the shadows. Light brushes of his carefully concealed youki prickled her s hort fur. Lips twitching threateningly, Kagome could do little to quell the kittenish chirps sneaking past her fangs.

"Jaken."

The cool baritone of his voice was so smooth, like rich chocolate. It was warm hands stroking her spine. Her bobbed tail twitched. But those sharply narrowed eyes said otherwise. Frozen orbs of gold, they caught her in the crosshairs of his gaze. It was like playing peek-a-boo in a see-through room - no point in playing if your opponent can already see you. Hiding was officially out of the question.

Yep.

There was a definite lack of ninja blood in her veins.

No wonder she preferred pirates.

_But I'm not going down without a fight!_ The girl all but became one with the child's kimono.

Scurrying from his place beside Ah-Un, the imp practically threw himself to the youkai lord's feet. The Staff of Two Heads clattered loudly against the hard ground. Her black ears twitched unpleasantly. Kagome sneered, _Bumbling kiss-ass_. Blathered compliments gushed from his beak. And peeking out from her little bunker, the kitten-girl watched the daiyoukai with a critical eye. Composed of a firm silence and a warrior's air, he bore down on the imp with indifferent impatience.

"Go fetch more firewood."

Jaken choked.

Sparing a glance towards the opening of the cave, a tidbit of Kagome's heart went out to the poor vassal. But only a teeny bit. Not even he should be forced to go out in that hurricane. The storm had become more violent than before. It snarled across the land. Heavy rain lashed against their shelter. A sudden flash of lightning lit up the night, followed by the hungry roll of thunder mere moments later. It was a deluge of epic proportions, and poor Jaken was a willing victim to his lord's whims.

"B-b-but, my lord! Y-you can't be-!" the imp stuttered.

"_Dry_ firewood, Jaken."

The kappa stumbled about before finally dashing out into the torrential downpour.

And from her hiding place, Kagome watched as the daiyoukai settled down on the other side of the fire, oranges and yellows dancing across the fine silk. That strange drapery of fur cushioned his back. Seemingly untouched by the storm, it seemed that Nature herself was afraid to sully his grand appearance. Drumming her tiny paws against the earth, she glared down at her puny claws. She, being the tiny kitten in his sight, was the ant under his boots. He was so much taller now, and Kagome realized she would probably fall over backwards trying to look him in the eye.

She sniffed, glowering at him from under Rin's sleeve.

_Stupid dogs!_

"This Sesshoumaru can smell your stink, _feline_. Come out," he commanded.

_He's not even looking!_ her thoughts screeched. And he wasn't. Eyes closed to the world around him, he hadn't looked at her since entering their meager shelter. Measly claws against the ground. The unfortunate miko opted to remain in the safety of his ward's arms. _He wouldn't hurt Rin. And I don't think he'd wake her either... I hope._

"Otherwise, you shall force this Sesshoumaru to retrieve you himself."

Short fur prickled like little quills. _How rude!_ her mind squawked. _Darn dogs; always so bossy!_ Clambering over Rin's arm, she stomped towards the waiting daiyoukai. Oh! If she were human, she'd give his ears such a scolding! No one was allowed to talk to her like that. At wit's end and already suffering with this unfortunate transformation, Kagome was not in the mood for his 'Holier-Than-Thou' attitude.

A kittenish roar erupted from between her fangs.

Golden eyes snapped open, and her little heart nearly _stopped_.

"You are trying my patience."

And suddenly, dangling precariously by the scruff of her neck from a deadly hand, she stared cross-eyed at the youkai lord's face. Her hind paws tucked against her stomach. Front legs flailing about, her squalling protests ricocheted in his ears.

_"Be silent,"_ he growled.

Kagome stilled.

_Don't eat me! Please - please! - don't eat me!_

Eyes squeezed shut, the girl heard only the sounds of snuffling breaths and the exhale of air against her fur. _Is he… sniffing me?_ Blue orbs peeked open. Sure enough, Sesshoumaru had that sharp nose pointed in her direction. Nostrils flaring slightly, the hapless miko waited out his inspection. Not like she could do much else.

And as quickly as it started, he was done.

"Hn."

Hanging limply from his grip, one ear twitched in frustration. After startling 10 years off her - already questionable - lifespan, all he had to say for it was '_hn'_. Surely, this was a joke!

_"MEOW!"_

Yep! Any minute now, Kagome would wake to the sound of Miroku's customary morning slap. Sango would storm off into the woods to gather firewood, grumbling and griping about perverted monks and wandering hands. Shippo and Kirara would take turns rifling through her backpack. And Inuyasha, in all of his temperamental glory, would storm into camp and demand his breakfast.

_Yep, it's all a dream_, her mind hummed nervously. _A very, long and fantastical dream, but I do believe I am quite ready to wake up now. So, come on, rise and shine!_

As her butt plopped unceremoniously back onto the hard ground, she knew this was no dream.

And with suspicious eyes cutting at her, this was only the beginning...

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**End Note:** This one-shot was originally posted for dokuga_contest's **Child's Play Challenge** - _Peek-A-Boo_. 1000 words.


	5. Chew On This

**Disclaimer:** All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I am not to blame for any actions of the characters in this drabble. In this case, it is the dog who has found something to gnaw on.

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**Chew On This**

The night passed with relative ease. The downpour receded sometime near dawn. Dark clouds rolled away in the distance. Jaken had returned successful, firewood stuffed into his clothes to keep from soaking through.

And as the rest of the pack remained asleep, the daiyoukai stayed vigilant.

Or, as vigilant as one could be...

_Curious..._

Peering at the odd creature, he watched it with careful indifference. Thoughts skittered through his brain like ants, picking at the bits and pieces. The blue-eyed fuzzball snoozed in the safety of his ward's embrace. Smelling of rainwater and feline, the critter's scent irritated the back of his nose. And yet, it was its odor that remained in question.

The dangerous hand draped over his knee clenched.

The cat lacked the natural aroma of domesticated animals gone feral. It didn't smell of sickness or disease. There were no indications of mange or madness. Sesshoumaru sneered; as if he would allow any such beast near his charges. _Disease is not what concerns this Sesshoumaru._ However, it had been just _that_. The kitten's natural odor was too clean - _too fresh_ - like untouched parchment. It was as if the creature had never lived in the wilds before. Hadn't lived at all. _And yet…_ A not-so-foreign sensation had been there. There was an energy that flowed beneath its short fur. Tendrils of spiritual power had licked at his skin. The feline's rambunctious flailing sent the tingling aura pulsing in his hands.

Rubbing his fingers together, he recalled the power's sharp prickle.

Stranger still, it had been _reiki_ - miko energy.

This was a mystery.

An animal as a vessel for spiritual energy.

And suddenly, this simple creature didn't seem so… _simple_.

Where did it come from? _Why_? _What_ was it?

These questions and more flitted around in his head. Narrowed eyes watched the black kitten sleep undisturbed. The daiyoukai sniffed. _You raise many questions, feline,_ his thoughts rumbled. _This Sesshoumaru shall discover them._

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**End Note: **This drabble was originally posted for dokuga_contest's **Weekly Perfection** - _**Blue **_theme. The original prompt length was 300 words, but the untrimmed version measures in at 325 words.


	6. Perplexing Pantomime

**Disclaimer: **Inuyasha and characters are copyrighted to Rumiko Takahashi. I own nothing, and only use the characters in plots.

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**Perplexing Pantomime**

Tiny claws gripped the checkered kimono like a lifeline.

_Rin,_ her mind began, _you know, I think you're adorable and the sweetest thing in the world. But please! Can you put a little_ less _bounce in your step? I think you're going to drop me._Still, the little girl skipped on, oblivious of her nauseous cargo. Lilting tunes hummed from her lips as she kicked up grass and dirt in her wake. Jaken, already subjected to her playtime, grumbled a few steps back. A wreath of daisies draped daintily over his slimy head. Ah-Un chirped, parading about in the departure of the storm - also sporting a few flowers in their harness. And ahead, leading his rag-tag group of followers, the inu-daiyoukai guided them across the territory. Destination? Hell if she knew...

As they were marching by a bubbling creek, ebony ears couldn't help but pick up the sound of her rumbling tummy.

Patting the girl's cheek, Kagome blinked.

_"Nyaoh?"_

Rin paused. "What's wrong, kitty?"

Azure orbs turned to watch the dark shadows of fish beneath the water's surface.

Her stomach grumbled louder.

"Rin and Rin's kitty are hungry, Jaken-sama," the girl piped.

Kagome meowed.

Balking at the idea, the imp clomped a foot against the earth.

"You just ate at daybreak! Why do you need to eat more, silly human?" Bulbous eyes glared at the black kitten in her arms. "And _you_! Why do you need to eat? Hmph! Stealing scraps from the Great and Terrible, Lord Sesshoumaru! Why, you're lucky he ack-!"

Inwardly, Kagome sniggered. _And that, folks, is what we call a 'Jaken-pancake'._

Squished beneath those leather soles, Jaken squalled futilely before flopping in defeat. No point in fighting his lordship's reprimands. It only made the punishments more severe.

"Jaken."

The imp gulped, prying himself from his place in the dirt.

"Y-yes, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Get fish for Rin."

Jaken whimpered.

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In a matter of minutes, Rin and Jaken were wading around in the cool waters, hands itching to get ahold of one of the slippery critters. Clothes hiked up around her knees, Rin was too busy splashing around to be much help. And somewhere in the chaos, Jaken croaked out a firm warning. Something about foolish humans and uncooperative fish.

Kagome sat on the bank, bobbed tail thumping against her rump. The water looked like fun, but she could do without the floating downstream. The current looked too strong for someone her size. _I'm not human anymore. I have to be careful, _she thought with a sigh.

Peering over her shoulders, something else caught her eye.

More like some_one._

Leaning back against a wide tree trunk, Sesshoumaru seemed to pay no mind to the squeals of his retainer or his ward. And though his eyes were closed to the world around him, she could make out the slight twitch of his ears every now and then. Mokomoko-sama lay off to the side, ruffling in the cool, afternoon breeze. His single arm draped over a raised knee. He seemed to be basking in the shade of the tree's sprawling branches, hiding away from the scorching summer sun.

Kagome paused, tilting her head to the side. He looked so different - more calm and relaxed. With the sun beating down on the group, it made sense that even _he_ wasn't totally immune to the elements. He was probably working up quite a sweat in all that armor and silk. It seemed youkai weren't as tough as they claimed to be.

Glancing at the occupied child, the unfortunate teen saw this as her chance. An opportunity to try to explain to the cold lord what had happened to her. And - hopefully - get her back to her friends in one piece.

_Stupid Naraku and his stupid tricks,_ her thoughts hissed.

Underbelly brushing against the ground, she carefully inched her way to his booted foot.

"Hn. What are you scheming, cat?"

Kagome squealed.

_Oh, come on!_ she started. _Don't be so harsh! Why do you think I'm always up to no good? Seriously! I just came over to talk to you, and you think I'm scheming something? Have a little faith._

Too bad it all came out in a flourish of mews and chips.

Sesshoumaru sneered, flexing his claws.

"Silence. Your constant chatter irritates this one's ears. Surely there are some mice for you to chase - _elsewhere_," he implied.

Anything to be rid of this squeaking hairball.

Kagome pouted, stamping a tiny black paw on his boot. _Pay attention!_

The daiyoukai glared.

Swallowing a bubble of unease, Kagome carefully clambered onto his foot. She stomped her paw once more. _Okay, I need you to listen. Please._

A flick of a finger, and she tumbled right back into the grass.

_"MEOW!"_

He sniffed. "Go bother someone else, _feline_."

_You say it like it's a bad thing?_ her mind quipped. Okay, sure, being turned into a cat wasn't her _ideal_ way to start the summer, but it could have been a lot _worse_. At least she could say she was alive. Naraku couldn't count her down and out just yet.

Claws digging into his hakama, she scaled up his leg like a gecko.

The daiyoukai wrinkled his nose in disgust. The little thing was determined! It clung to him like a gnat on fly paper. He attempted to rid himself of the little parasite, shaking his leg to jostle its grip. Too bad those claws hooked deep into the expensive fabric. He could feel the tiny sting of its claws on the inside of his leg. Already, the threads were tearing beneath the creature's clutches. And when the kitten had finally procured a place on his lap, tiny paws thumping against his breastplate, he couldn't help but stare down at the offending fuzzball.

_Pay attention! Pay attention! Hey! I'm talking to you!_ she practically wailed. Paws beating against his armor, there was little else she could do to get his attention. He was her only hope. There was no way Rin would be able to solve her problem. The girl was still too young - too ignorant - to understand what had happened. Jaken… Kagome scowled. Nope. Not going to happen. To ask the imp for help was a good way to end up stuck this way. And if there was one thing she missed, it was being able to walk on two legs.

"Is there something you _need_?" the inuyoukai seemed to seethe.

_Don't be so frustrating. You don't know how lucky you are right now!_

Tapping her paw against her temple, thoughts swarmed around her head. There had to be a way to explain her predicament to the daiyoukai. He was smart - or, at least, he acted like he was. Surely he would be able to pick-up on some simple gestures and actions and-!

_I'm a genius!_

Waving a paw in front of his face, she let out a quick squeak before leaping onto his raised leg. Looking back, golden eyes followed her. _Good,_ she thought, _keep your eyes on the kitty._ Batting his hand aside, she made herself at home on his knee.

_Okay, now watch. It's called Charade's. I'll make an action and you have to guess what I'm doing,_ she attempted to explain in the best way possible. _Remember, this is a matter of life or death._ Maybe, with a little beginner's luck, he might recognize something.

Too bad it looked like she was just flailing about. Forelegs flapping about and little chirps slipping from between her fangs, she was making quite a scene.

Sesshoumaru huffed. This was a waste of time.

_"Mew!"_

Grabbing the back of her neck, the daiyoukai deposited her back onto the grass. Kagome protested audibly; she'd barely even started! She hadn't even gotten the first clue out and he was ready to call it quits! No fair! A firm hand pressed lightly against her back to keep her in place.

_No! Wait! Give me a chance!_

"Hn. It seems Rin has picked up a possessed pet. You are fortunate that you seem fairly harmless…"

Thoroughly defeated. Kagome sighed, utterly dismissed. _That went well._

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**End Note:** 1354 words. dokuga_contest's **Beginner's Luck** oneshot theme.  
_Also, if you see any mistakes, please let me know. The DocManager is being weird. _


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